Anyone searching for a counter cyclical stock that benefits from high unemployment and a weak credit market needs to start looking at pawn and payday lenders. I'm sure images of toothless criminals, shady back-alley deals and missing gold chains come to more than a few minds. But a closer look at the group reveals a very legitimate industry that has seen big gains over the last two years in the weak consumer environment.

At the weekend G7 meeting, Christine Lagarde softened the IMF’s concerns about the capital adequacy of European banks. However, the communiqué reiterated the G7’s support for the Basel III bank regulatory process (that Jamie Dimon says disadvantages U.S. banks)

There is a “wish list” for House Democrats in the context of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, which was created as part of the Budget Control Act of 2011. Note the inclusion of taxation of carried interests on the list and in the description.

Sources familar with the law that governs the loan made under the Solyndra program however say that a plain reading of the law prevents the administration from allowing investors to jump ahead of government guaranteed loans under any circumstances.

I am not terribly concerned about the CPI number, but I must concede that the Jobless Claims report turned out to be quite disappointing. Weekly Jobless Claims increased by a greater than expected 11K for the week to 428K

With 78 million baby boomers starting to cash out, each entitled to benefits at age 62 continuing for over 22 more years on average, Social Security fits within the definition of a Ponzi scheme. Just because the government can currently coerce new participants doesn’t mean today’s young workers want to pay in or that boomers won’t want their cash. It’s not self-sustaining as originally presented.

NetEase.com (NTES) is a Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) thanks to rising estimates and its latest earnings surprise. Shares can still be had at a good value and given the growth outlook there is plenty of upside.

As part of his warmed-over jobs plan, President Obama is repackaging "Buy American" stimulus subsidies to help hard-hit homegrown businesses. At the same time, however, Congress is pushing to expand a fraud-riddled investor program that puts U.S. citizenship for sale to the highest foreign business bidders.?

On Valentine's Day 2011, we explored the correlation that appears to exist between what motor gasoline prices are today and what the unemployment rate will be two years from now. At the time, Here's what we found.

One factor favoring President Obama's re-election, according to a recent article by political scientist Alan Lichtman, is the absence of scandal in his administration. Lichtman may have spoken too soon.

In February, the administration renegotiated with Solyndra’s billionaire investor- remember the one who was also a big contributor to the Obama campaign?- as the company was failing. That deal allowed billionaire George Kaiser’s foundation to jump ahead of the American taxpayers for all but $150 million of the government’s $527 million loan in any company bankruptcy. Oh, and it’s a transaction that also happens to be illegal.

I work for a real estate company, and they’re really pushing us to take advantage of a first-time homebuyer deal. The program offers 100 percent financing, no money down and no private mortgage insurance. They say it’s a great deal. What do you think?

These are the same millionaires calling for higher taxes on everyone else. These are the same people that build permanent ski resorts and fight against temporary gas wells. These are the new Marie Antoinettes telling you to have a bite of cake.

Royal Gold, Inc. (RGLD) has seen huge gains over the last two months, with shares up as much as 30% as gold hit a series of new all-time highs. With estimates on the rise and gold fever running strong, this Zacks #1 Rank stock is at the top of the momentum chart.

According to records compiled by the Farm Subsidy database, Lugar received $165,687 in farm subsidies during a decade and half in the Senate, including the six years he spent as chairman of the Senate Agricultural Committee. He also joined the Chicago Climate Exchange. Geesh.

Emails obtained by investigators for the House Energy and Commerce Committee and released to ABC News demonstrate how deeply involved the White House was at the highest levels in fast-tracking the approval of the politically well connected start-up in direct conflict with numerous private as well as government warnings that the survival of the company was very doubtful.

With the scandalous bankruptcy of Solyndra (a shady California solar power company that received $535 million in stimulus funds and is now under investigation by the FBI) hanging overhead, President Obama wisely whitewashed any mention of "green jobs" out of his latest address to Congress.